The Celtics and Bruins find themselves "on diverging paths of fortune," and signs of their "skewed trajectories are written on the faces of fans and the bottom lines of businesses from Sportsworld to TD Garden," according to a front-page piece by Bob Hohler of the BOSTON GLOBE. The Celtics have played to 97% capacity at TD Garden and "have sold out more than half their home games, including the final three against relatively unglamorous opponents." Yet "cheering for the Celtics has taken on a strange new meaning," as many fans "root for defeats so the team might secure a more valuable draft position." Celtics President Rich Gotham called it "an odd dynamic." But Hohler notes "legions of casual fans have shifted their focus, creating an attention deficit that has hurt related businesses." Local ratings for games on Comcast SportsNet New England have dropped nearly 18% from last season, although the Celtics "still rank among the top 10 in the NBA in local ratings." By contrast, Bruins broadcasts on NESN this season have averaged a 5.0 local rating, marking the RSN's "highest ever for a full season, and more than double the Celtics’ ratings." Only two NHL teams "have enjoyed higher local ratings this season" than the Bruins -- the Penguins and Sabres. The Bruins also have "sold out 206 consecutive games" at TD Garden since '09 and have "raised ticket prices next season," from 10% for the best loge seats to 40% for the cheapest balcony seats. Boston-based secondary ticket outlet Ace Ticket Owner & CEO Jim Holzman said, "The truth is, Celtics tickets are going for half price, while Bruins tickets are going for twice the price" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/16).
